The activities suggested are intended to strengthen students' sense of the relative size of fractions by:
- requiring students to consider the size of fractions in relation to a fixed and familiar reference point (or quantity), that is, one whole, one-half or zero
- encouraging students to discuss and test their strategies
- requiring students to explain and justify their thinking
- providing immediate feedback to allow revision of responses.
The fractions used in all the activities can be adjusted to fit the needs of the students.
Activity 1: Which is closer to one?
Which fraction is closer to one, \(\frac{1}{4}\) or \(\frac{3}{4}\)?
How do you know?
Fold a strip of paper to show the two fractions.
Mark them on a number line.
Activity 2: Which is closer?
Which fraction is closer to zero, \(\frac{1}{4}\) or \(\frac{1}{5}\)?
How do you know?
Which fraction is closer to half?
Which fraction is closer to one?
Activity 3: Looking for patterns
Download and watch the Sorting Fractions Cards Task slide presentation to see how sorting a variety of fractions works.
Activity 4: If you added…
If you added \(\frac{3}{4}\) and \(\frac{1}{8}\) would the answer be less than one, equal to one or more than one? How do you know? Find a way to show you are correct.
